Raila Odinga, Kenya's opposition leader, has spoken out against the country's plan to lead a peacekeeping mission in Haiti to tackle gang violence, calling it a "wrong move."

In an interview with a local TV station on Thursday, Mr. Odinga stated that deploying Kenyan police to Haiti was not a top priority for Kenya, emphasizing that the East African region already faced significant challenges.

He questioned the rationale behind selecting Kenya to lead a multinational force in Haiti, which is geographically closer to the United States, the world's most powerful nation.

Mr. Odinga expressed concern about the dangerous situation in Haiti, warning that the planned deployment could put the lives of Kenyan police officers at risk. He argued that the crisis in Haiti was primarily political and required diplomatic negotiations rather than a military response.

On Monday, the United Nations Security Council approved the deployment of Kenyan police for a year, subject to a review after nine months. President William Ruto of Kenya pledged not to let down the people of Haiti. However, there have been critics who doubt the capacity of Kenyan police to address the challenges posed by Haiti's gangs.